Fairlight CMI IIx User Manual

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F A I R L I G H T

- C M I -

MANUAL FOR THE GENERAL INTERFACE

(MIDI/SMPTE) CARD AND SUPPORT UNIT

Revision 1.2

March 1985

by Tom Stewart and Peter Farleigh

Description of General Interface Card........................................1

Description of MIDI standards ...............................................1

Description of SMPTE standards ..............................................1

Fairlight MIDI ..............................................................2

PAGE I description ..........................................................3

SHEET 1 - TIME CODE GENERATOR ...........................................4

- TIME CODE READER ..............................................5

SHEET 2 - MIDI PORT CONFIGURATION .......................................6

SHEET 3 - CONTROL/SWITCH CONFIGURATION ..................................7

Connection Diagram ..........................................................8

(c) 1985 Fairlight Instruments Pty. Ltd.

Sydney, Australia

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The General Interface Card

A SMPTE/MIDI/SYNC hardware option is now available for the Computer Musical
Instrument. This is in the form of a circuit card which can be insertod into one
of the spare expansion slots in the CMI. The card contains its own 32-bit 68000
processor, memory and peripheral interfaces providing SMPTE in and out, four
independent MIDI ports in and four out, plus a gen•ral purpose SYNC pulse input
and output for interfacing to non-MIDI sequencers and drum machines etc.

Synchronizing with SMPTE - the industry standard

The Fairlight CMI can now be programmed by the user to play sequences of music
or produce sound effects triggered by SMPTE time code. SMPTE code can be
produced and read by the CMI.

SMPTE time code is an internationally recognized digital code recorded on a
spare sound track of a multi-track tape. The code carries timing information in
hours, minutes seconds and frames. By recording SMPTE time code from the
beginning to the end of the audio tape, it is possible to uniquely identify any
place on tape by its time code at that point.

Time code 00:00:00:00 would be the beginning of time code.
Time code 01:28:45:19 would be 1 hour, 28 ainutes, 45 seconds and 19

frames from the beginning.

A frane is a subdivision of a second that is used in film and video and can be
one of the following values:

for film and cinema - 24 frames per second
for video (not U.S.A.) - 25 frames per second
for video - 30 frames per second

The Fairlight SMPTE system features include 24, 25 or 30 frames per second,
"drop frame" capability for 30 fps and balanced line input and output. Signals
conform to international standards.

MIDI - Musical Instrument Digital Interface

MIDI is the industry standard Digital keyboard interface that provides musical
performance information in a standardised format which is compatible with a wide
range of modern synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines, and keyboard (and
other) controllers.

FairlightŽs MIDI controller has three independent MIDI inputs and four
independent MIDI outputs. A powerful 32-bit processor provides the fastest
possible speed throughout while allowing independent data configurations to be
selected for different manufacturers instruments which may be used
simultaneously.

Software is included on CMI system disk and is usad whenever the system is
started with the General Interface card (CMI-28) pluggod in. MIDI is therefore
active all the time.

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The following information is subject to change - please check with your dealer
when ordering to confirm latest specifications.

Fairlight Receivinq MIDI Data

Fairlight CMI will respond to the following messages received via MIDI IN.

Voice messages: Note Off event

Note On event
Polyphonic key pressure
Control change
Channel pressure
Pitch bend change

Any Fairlight effect on Page 7 may be patched to any CONTROL (or SWITCH)
and thus be controlled by any other synthesizer via MIDI.

Mode messages:

All Channel Mode messages are accepted but ignored. The Fairlight operates
in MIDI Mode 4. Within the Fairlight, keytoards can be assigned to any
combination of REGISTERS/VOICES/CHANNELS.

Fairlight Transmitting MIDI Data

Fairlight transmits the following data via MIDI OUT.

Voice Messages: Note Off

Note On
Polyphonic key pressure
Control change
Channel pressure
Pitch Bend change

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Page I - General Interface Page

This page operates in conjunction with an optional hardware circult card, the
General Interface Card (or SMPTE/MIDI card). It is inserted into slot 2 in the
CMI and wired to a junction box attached to the rear of the CMI (or as a remote
box). See diagram for external connection.

The CMI may be rapidly configured as a MIDI instrument, in a variety of transit
and receive modes.

Software is included on the CMI system disk (revision 14) and is used whenever
the General Interface card (CMI-28) is plugged in. MIDI is therefore active all
the time.

The General Interface card has three input ports, A to C and four output ports,
A to D. At present, only input A is supportod by software.

The MIDI standard uses sixteen channels to send or receive music information.
Switch and control fader information is also sent or received.

Present MIDI features of Page I allow the patching of any MIDI port/channel to
any of the eight Fairlight keytoards for input and output. As well, MIDI
switches/control fader s may be patched to Fairlight controls/switches for input
and output.

PAGE I has a four sheets.

Select sheets by typing the sheet number; 1, 2, 3 or 4 followed by <return>.
Alternatively, sheets can be selected by pointing the light-pen at the sheet
selection box in the bottom left hand corner of the scrcen. The CMI will
remember what shect you are worRing on at present and returning to Page I from
another page will land you on the sheet that you last used.

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SHEET 1 - SMPTE TIME CODE CONFIGURATION

This shect is divided into Time Code Generating and Time Code Reading. PAGE I
can read or generate SMPTE code in different modes. These modes are described
below.

TIME CODE GENERATOR

Record time code onto high quality multi-track tape at levels between lOdb to ­20db. This will minimise bleed-through to adjacent tracks. Avoid recording onto
outside tracks (e.g., track 1 or track 24 on 24 track tape) as these are the
first tracks to fray as the tape is extensively used. Also avoid recording
instruments with heavy percussive bass content (e.g., bass drum) on an adjacent
track as this may modulate the SMPTE track.

To generate time code for recording onto tape, firstly set up the START time by
tabbing down to the numbers opposite START.

These numbers are: hr(hour), en(minute), sc(second), fr(frame)

Set the START time by typing number<set>.

Time code can now be generatod by either typing S<return> or pointing the
lightpen at the START box.

To stop the time code generator, either type S<return> or point the lightpen at
the STOP box.

Note that all time code readers need a few seconds to lock onto the time code,
so make START time slightly early.

EXAMPLE Record time code onto tape with a START time of 23 hours 59 minutes

55 seconds 00 frames. This will allow sufficient time to trigger a
sequence of music at SMPTE time 00 OO O0 O0.

The CLOCK area above the START area will display the SMPTE code as it is
generated. Similarly the CLOCK in the Time Code reader section will display the
code as it is read in.

FRAMB RATE can be set to 24, 25 or 30 frames per second for either generating or
reading time code. When generating code at 30 fps, there is a Drop Frame option.
This is used mainly with NTSC colour television applications.

User bits can be used to name a tape or section of tape. User bits are set and
remain constant during the generating of a section of code. They may be changed
when the time code generator is stopped.

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SHEET 1 - SMPTE TIME CODE CONFIGURATION (continued)

TIME CODE READER

The CMI SMPTE time code reader needs a minimum level of around 1 volt p-p.

TRIGGER time is the point where music sequences may be startod. It is set up in
a similar way to START TIME, described previously.

The CMI has three sequencers, PAGE 9 - Keyboard Sequencer, PAGE C Music
Composition Language and PAGE R - Real Time Composer. These sequencers may be
triggered to start at a particular SMPTE time code. Source of the time code may
be from tape, another SMPTE generator, or indeed from the CMI SMPTE time code
generator.

At present these sequencers will not lock with SMPTE on tape so that any
variations in tape speed will not be reflected in the speed of Page 9, C or R.
If this is a problem, record a ~y~__one on another track of the tape so that any
tape speed variations can be taken into account.

Set up your SMPTE/SYNC equipment as shown in the connection diagram.

Using the time code reader with PAGE R:

You can set the trigger time either on Page I or on PAGE R itself. In this
release of software, there is no error checking software and hence invalid times
can be loaded (e.g., loading 29 frames when reading 25 fps time code). So for
the moment, take care in setting the trigger on PAGE R. PAGE R can be set to its
own internal sync or to an external sync.

To have PAGE R start from the trigger point type P;S<return>.

PAGE R will go into a wait state (similar to the P;W option) until the clock
time reaches the trigger time.

P;S<return> .

This can be over-ridden by pressing any key. This will start the sequencer.

Once the sequence has startod, PAGE R will update time code as each new pattern
is displayed on the screen.

Using the time code reader with PAGE 9 and PAGE C:

These sequencers will start at the TRIGGER time shown on Page I. At present,
there are no time code indicators.

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SHEET 2 - MIDI PORT CONFIGURATION

The upper two boxes on SHEET 2 enable you to use the thrce input and four output
ports with different manufacturers' MIDI equipment. This initial software
release provides four different protocols: FAIRLIGHT, YAMAHA, SYNTHAXE and
NORMAL, (the 'standard' MIDI protocol). More will be available shortly.

To setup the MIDI ports, firstly connoct the MIDI equipment to the appropriate
MIDI input/output port on the MIDI/SMPTE junction box at the rear of the CMI.
Secondly, on SHEET 2, tab to the INSTRUMENT field opposite the appropriate port
and type the manufacturers name followed by <set>. Just the first letter will
suffice, for example, Y<set>.

The MODE field enables you to specify options to the manufacturers' equipment in
which the MIDI port is to operate.
A hexadecimal code number is assigned to the appropriate field to select special
modes. At present this is only available for the Synthaxe as follows;

With the low digit = 0, the Synthaxe vibrato arm affects control
no. 1 (see below);
if it is = 1, the vibrato arm does pitch bend.
With the high digit = 0, all strings damp together;
if it is = 1, independent string damping.

Here's a typical setup ...

SHEET 2 - MIDI channels/FAIRLIGHT KEYBOARDS

This sLect is usad to map MIDI channels to FAIRLIGHT keyLoard for input ports,
and vice versa for output ports. To do this patching, move cursor to the fields
relating to the FAIRLIGHT keytoard in question, and assign both port code, A, B,
C or D, and MIDI channel number, 1 to 16.

For example ...

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SHEET 3 - MIDI/FAIRLIGHT CONTROL/SWITCH NUMBER CONFIGURATION

Fairlight control/switch numbers are split into groups of eight, as seen in the
patching boxes. To patch, assign a port and channel to the relevant CN/SW
numbers.

For output ports, each bank of eight FAIRLIGHT Control/Switch numbers can be
mapped to MIDI CN/SW numbers 0-7 via the selectod port and channel. Current
software allows MIDI CN/SW numbers no greater than 7 on output channels.

For input ports, patching is the same, but MIDI Control/Switch numbers greater
than 7 are avaliable. Numbers outside the range are mapped on a rotating basis
to the selected bank of FAIRLIGHT Control/Switch numbers, via port and channel
combinations which you have selected.

For example, if you mapped input port A, channel 5 to FAIRLIGHT Control/Switch
numbers in the group 09 - 16 then any MIDI CN/SW number information arriving via
"A/5" will be mapped thus: MIDI 0,8,16,24 - FAIRLIGHT 1 (Control/Switch numbers
1 to 8); MIDI 1,9,17,25 - FAIRLIGHT 2 (Control/Switch numbers 9 to 16), and so
on

NOTE: If it is desired to prevent this four to one cyclic mapping from occuring,
the sending MIDI device must ensure that it "routes" each bank of eight
Control/Switch numbers via a different port/channel.

A typical control/switch allocation ...

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GENERAL INTERFACE SUPPORT UNIT - CONNECTION

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